The Key to the Confederacy
by Linkaroo
Summary: When the Doctor gets a mysterious distress call from an unwitting American university student, they both end up stuck in the midst of Civil War Era Mississippi in the thick of the Battle of Vicksburg, seeking not only a strange young man but also a key that has no lock.
1. A Surprise Visitor

It was a late Tuesday night. Not dark or stormy, mind you, just late. It was drizzling a bit, to be honest. It could have been a better night, maybe 70 degrees Fahrenheit, perfect for a lovely nighttime walk if one wears a cardigan. By all means, it was a Tuesday night and across the campus of Delta Green University, it was quiet. Across the posh, antebellum architecture of the university, the wind blew softly over the cement. It was getting into late fall with a cool in the air, but still very warm for an October. All across campus, things seemed to be sleeping. The lights were out in every building and every room- all except one.

On the eighth floor of Washington Hall, Resident Assistant Laney Connerly had just finished conducting her weekly rounds and sat wearily at her work desk, face down on a stack of papers. The muscles in her shoulders were tense and painful- not that she noticed anymore. Stress was a part of her life. Lack of sleep, painful tension, and deadlines were the norm. Looking around at the walls, one could see why- awards and certificates decorated the spaces that the comic book posters did not. Honors College, No. 1 Culinary Arts Student, President's List. Posters from theatrical productions, some seeming more recent, were posted on the ceiling, like a memorial to a lost time. An unfinished painting sat on the desk, surrounded by paints and paintbrushes and cups full of long-evaporated paint water.

The student in question let out a small whimper, running her hands through her short, black hair. At one point, she had kept her hair in the colors of the rainbow. but, life happened. Color takes commitment. Color takes time- not something that Laney had a lot of. Mornings were desk shifts and classes. lunches were filled with meetings and homework, before heading off to the scenic shop and more classes where she remained until dinner. After dinner is was more meetings, more homework, and RA duties.

Laney sat up to look at herself in the mirror. She was dark skinned for a Mississippi girl- her mom had once told her that it was the Choctaw blood running through her veins, but who knew. She was small, even for her young age of 19, with an innocent looking face. Even though it was her own image, she caught view of her eyes, lingering and reaching out to touch the mirror. Dark, dark eyes, almost black. Impossibly old eyes for a 19 year old- like they had seen the hurt of the world and survived.

Shaking off the melancholy, she stretched, yawning widely and swirling around in her desk chair. As she heated up water for a late night cup of tea, she sighed at her cell phone- one of her residents had called her at least three times in the past hour. Audrey never did know how to deal with men- not that Laney had much experience, beside a disastrous 2 year relationship. Since then, she simply hadn't had time- or made time- for guys. She had her theatre work, her RA job, the Honors College... and no one had asked or seemed interested, anyway.

The heat from the tea was comforting as she took a breather in what she called her "daddy chair"- a big round, rainbow papasan. Dropping in five sugars- always five- and pouring some milk in from the carton in the mini-fridge, she settled into her nest, finally off of her feet. Laney closed her eyes and breathed, fighting off frustration. The mind-numbing busy work, the meetings, the running around, the stress... it's too much. When she opened her eyes again, it was an hour later- and her sweatshirt was wet.

She was so tired of the ennui. So tired of being tired. So tired of being so wrapped up in everything that everyone required of her that she had no friends...or boyfriends...or even just one person to be able to go to.

She shook her head, sipping her tea. _Something must be wrong_, she thought. _So many depressive thoughts today. More than usual."_

When it came time to get up and finish the paper, it was too late. Laney had already fallen asleep, curled in a ball with a mug of cold, half finished tea.

* * *

THUMP. _Screeeeee. _ _Screeeeeee. Screeeeeeee_

_ "_Hello!"

The first thing Laney saw when she awoke was a bow tie, followed by the goofiest looking face she had seen in her life.

So she did the first reaction that came to her mind- she quickly threw the now arctic tea in the stranger's face.

The goofy-looking stranger simply blinked, tea dripping down his thin face.

"Are you done?"

Laney nodded, placing the empty mug carefully on the floor.

After wiping off some of the tea on his face with his finger and sticking it in his mouth, he beamed and exclaimed happily, "Good old Earl Grey! You, miss, have good taste. What would your name happen to be?"

"Laney. Laney Connerly," she answered carefully.

The stranger smiled, a dangerous-looking smile to Laney. She didn't quite know what to make of him. He hadn't tried to hurt her yet. He hadn't stolen anything. He just sat their smiling in his tan mismatching suit and suspenders, looking kind of ridiculous with tea dripping down his face.

"H-How...did you get in.." she stuttered, searching silently for her cell phone in the big chair.

The stranger looked bemusedly around the dorm room, pacing as he played with the orange dinosaur flashlight she kept on her bookshelf. "A better question is: how did you get out?"

Laney blinked confusedly, stopping her cell phone search out of frustration. Steadily, she stared at the odd gentleman. "How did I get... out? I've been here. All night." Slowly, she stood up from the papasan chair and tried to silently make her way to her nightstand where her emergency house phone was.

The gentleman smiled, pulling out a piece of what first appeared to be blank paper in a wallet. "Psychic paper. You sent me a message across all of space and time and all it says is.." He checked the blank paper quickly. "Help me." With a grin he flicked the wallet-thing closed and tucked it back into his jacket, fixing his bowtie with a single fluid motion. "Vastly unoriginal, really, but I aim to please. The Doctor at your service, here for all your helping needs. " Suddenly, he spotted the case of craft supplies she kept on the desk. "Ooh! You're crafty! You know, I once accidentally went on a date with Georgia O'Keefe. All she did was talk about the beauty of flowers. She quite fancied me, I think, but you know, she did turn out to be possessed by a strange spirit that turned out to be from a planet of pure plant life, so it would have never worked out."

As the stranger fumbled around in her stash of crafts, wiping off his face with a piece of lavender felt and throwing it neatly into the trash can across the room. He had been scanning the posters on the wall when he all of a sudden stopped his bumbling, staring at the unfinished painting sitting on the desk. "Did you paint this?" He picked it up, giving an artful twirl as he caught Laney with her hand on the phone. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. Girls harboring strange men in their dormitory rooms have never had the best of reputations."

By this time, Laney was quite overwhelmed. She had a peculiar man in her dorm that may or may not be extremely mentally disturbed who talked nonsense about Georgia O'Keefe and treated her room like it was his own and said that he heard her from across time and space and called himself the Doctor. Exasperatedly she slammed the phone down onto the receiver, standing with arms akimbo and furrowing her brow in her (what she called) "serious-RA-face."

"You never answered my question. How did you get in?" she commanded.

The So-Called-Doctor continued to stare at the painting as he answered nonchalantly, "I landed my TARDIS in your supply closet and your door was unlocked. You really should lock it at night, unwanted admirers could get in. Beautiful girl like you, I bet you have loads of fellows beating down your door. Wouldn't want some strange fellow hanging around, would you?"

The compliment caught her off guard. She had been called "pretty", yes, "cute", yes. But never beautiful. She withdrew, blushing involuntarily for a few seconds, and then tried to save face. She crossed her arms and marched over to him, taking the painting from his hands and dusting it off gently before placing it back on the desk amidst the clutter once again. "I apparently already have some strange fellow in my room. And what in the Sam Hill is a TARDIS?"

The Doctor crossed his arms and put on his best imitation of her face and voice, goodnaturedly mocking, "Time And Relative Dimension In Space. Big blue box, travels in space and time." Straightening up, he picked up the painting again defiantly and studied it once more. It was nothing too special, just a young man's face which had been finished even though the area around him had not. "This painting is fascinating. This man...how do you know him?"

Laney shrugged noncommitally. "I had a weird dream and he was in it. He was such an interesting looking guy, I wanted to remember how he looked. So I painted him in a hurry one morning and never had the time to finish. "

The Doctor slammed down the painting, a strange urgency now in his face and voice. He grabbed her by the shoulders, looking her straight in the eye as he whispered softly. "I need you to remember what the dream was about. What happened to you in the dream? It's very, very important that you remember this."

Shocked by the suddenness and strength with which he grabbed her, Laney's instincts once again kicked into high gear. Before she could stop herself, her left elbow shot up and hit the Doctor's nose square in the middle as she shoved him away with her right arm. He stumbled heavily backward, nose bleeding and crashed into her school desk, sending papers and textbooks raining down on his head. She winced at every single book that dropped, hearing THUNK THUNKTHUNKTHUNKTHUNK as her scenic carpentry book tumbled and landed...

"Oooff!"

Right into his lap.

* * *

Ten minutes later, the Doctor was sitting in the daddy chair, holding a bag of frozen pizza rolls to his nose as Laney rushed around, apologizing profusely and making tea. "Do you want milk in your tea? I put sugar in my tea, but I'm Southern and don't know if that's the proper English thing to do, put sugar in your tea...I mean, it's probably not the proper English thing to do to break someone's nose either, but I guess at this point it's negligible.."

As she sat a chipped Batman mug down on the upturned crate that acted as a coffee table, she reached up and adjusted the bag of ice she had put on his head, generally fussing about. "Really, sir, I am so sorry. It's just that here you have to be careful of men making grabs at you and when you grabbed me I panicked and went into crazy superhero survival mode and Jesus, I didn't even know I was that strong.."

The Doctor patted her cheek dazedly, still a bit stunned from his earlier ordeal. "It's fine. I'm a tough old boy, over one thousand years and I'm still taking my lumps."

Laney flopped back down onto the rug, rubbing her now-growing migraine. Frustratedly, she looked up at him, gesturing to the sky. "You keep saying the strangest things. 'I'm from a magical machine in the storage closet. I dated Georgia O'Keefe but she was possessed by plants, and now you're saying that you're over one thousand years old?"

Sipping at the tea she had brought him, he smirked and cocked an eyebrow. "What if I told you I wasn't even English?"

Groaning incredulously, she plopped her head down onto the rug, staring at the posters on the ceiling. "So you're telling me that out of all these strange things, you're going to add that you're not even from England?" Sharply, she sat back up and wagged a finger at him. "What kind of uneducated redneck do you take me for? I know that accent anywhere."

He chuckled bemusedly, good-naturedly nudging her shoulder with his shoe. "Did I say that you were an uneducated redneck? I don't believe I did. I'm telling the truth. I am not from England."

"Then where are you from?"

The Doctor suddenly became very quiet, looking into his tea as if it were the most fascinating thing he had ever seen. He stared into the tea for a while before finally, as if coming back to himself, smiled that dangerous smile that sent chills up Laney's spine. "Come with me and I'll tell you."

Confused, Laney looked back up at him, a tiny bit afraid. "Come with you where?"

He raised an eyebrow once again, gesturing with his head towards the painting. "You tell me. Now about that dream- I said it was important and I meant it. Tell me what happened in your dream, Laney, and I'll take you there."

She bit her cheek until it bled, hesitant to listen to a complete stranger. A stranger who claimed he could travel in time and space. Who could make dreams come to life. Who could take her far away from Delta Green and into all of the universe.. and so closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"It all began when I was standing in this field..."


	2. Laney's Dream

"It all began when I was standing in this field. I didn't really know where I was, but I was wearing this long dress with long sleeves, even though it was really hot. It was all fluffy and made of cotton and soft blue, like something you'd see at the museums of the old antebellum women wearing.

The field was really hilly, trees everywhere. But where I was standing, on top of the hill, you could see for miles. I saw this old town in the distance and smoke rising from different areas of it. I tried to see if I knew the town, but I couldn't recognize a thing. Suddenly, I heard this clicking noise.

I look to my right, and there's this strange boy, the one from the painting, in one of those old gray military jackets, like you see when the History Club does Civil War reenactments. But his wasn't nice and pressed like theirs, it was really dirty and ragged and he didn't have the full uniform, just a dirty white shirt, trousers, and boots with holes all in them. He couldn't have been more than 21 or 22. He had a nice face and this long curly brown hair that was in his eyes. Boy, did he look scared. He's pointing this old rifle at me, yelling at me. 'Where did you come from,' he says. Screams, more like. He keeps yelling that at me. 'Are you a spy, are you a spy?'

I didn't know what to do. I just put up and my hands behind my head, like they do on TV when the police arrest you. I tried to approach him. 'I'm a friend' I said. 'I don't know how I got here.'

Finally, after repeating that at least fifty times, he's getting even more jumpy and yelling at me and I still didn't know what to do and I thought he was going to shoot me, so I started to cry. Now, I'm not usually one to cry, but apparently I did the right thing because he lowered his gun and started to come towards me. I just stood stock still, these tears just coming down my face. I thought he might try to hurt me, but unlike what I did with you, Doctor, I didn't move. I don't know why.

But he didn't hurt me. He just handed me this old handkerchief and stepped back and looked at the ground as if he were ashamed of himself. 'I'm mighty sorry, ma'am.' he told me. 'Don't cry. I didn't mean to make you cry. But you came out of nowhere and the Yankees have been crawlin' all over these parts on their way here and the Captain told me to shoot any people that didn't sound like us. But you sound funny. Kinda like a mix of us and a Yankee. Where are you from?'

'Jackson,' I told him. 'I'm from Jackson. I grew up in Brandon. Do you know Brandon?'

He smiled at me. 'Yes ma'am. I've got kin there.' He stopped smiling after that. 'But they've probably had to run by now b'cause of Sherman.' He turned away from me and began to walk away.

I called after him and started to run towards him. 'Wait! I don't even know where I am!'

He started to look at me funny, like I had lost my mind. He seemed hesitant to take me along, but he offered me his arm anyway.

As we walked over the hills, I finally got to find out where I was.

'You're outside 'a Vicksburg.'

This confused me. Just a minute ago I had been in my dorm room in my bed. How did I end up in Vicksburg? Out of surprise, I laughed. He looked at me funny again.

'I don't see whatcha find so funny 'bout that. We got almost forty thousand Yankee soldiers comin' this way and here you are roamin' the countryside by yourself and not knowin' where you are. Do you know what day it is?"

I shook my head.

'It's April 20th, 1863.'

Now I tell myself, I must be dreaming. Here I am in new clothes and in the middle of Civil War Era Vicksburg speaking to some boy I've never seen in my life. But the boy kept talking.

'General Sherman of the Union Army, that's the Yankees, is marchin' this way with loads of soldiers to try to take the Mississippi River from us. But right now, it's been calm in these parts. Everyone keeps tellin' the Gen'ral he needs to get ready, but he's been actin' some sorts of strange. '

This caught my attention. 'What kinda strange?'

He smiled at me again. He seemed to think I was some kinda nut, but he seemed friendly. He had a nice face, like I said. 'With forty thousan' men marchin' towards us, you'd think that a gen'ral would make some kinda fortifications, right? Some kinda defenses. But instead, the men say that he holes himself up in his study all day and talks only of this key-thing.'

'What kinda key?'

He looked around shifty-ish, like he was looking for someone, before he turned back to me. 'He says it's the key to winnin' the war. A key that would give us such an upper hand that we'd wipe the Yankees offa the map.' Suddenly he went quiet and kept walking. 'But I shouldn't be tellin' you that. What if you was a spy after all?' "

* * *

Laney stopped the story and hugged in her knees, her ears all quickly turning a bright red as she shifted around uncomfortably. After an awkward silence, she finally opened her mouth, muffled by her knees. "And that's all I'm telling you," she asserted.

The Doctor had moved forward in the chair, enthralled by the story, when he unexpectedly stood up, showering ice bags and pizza rolls onto the floor.

"Now you can't do that!" he berated her, bow tie askew and petulance in his voice. "Miss Connerly, you never know what other information you could be withholding from me, information that is the difference between life and death itself!

Laney groaned. "Who said it was your business?" She cocked an eyebrow. "Do you get off on stuff like this? Embarrassing people and making them tell you all their secrets?"

The Doctor stopped to consider the accusation before replying guiltily, "I wouldn't say 'get off', but it is one of the perks of being clever and getting them to tell you their secrets quite willingly."

Laney groaned and hid her face in her hands. "It's just...this next part is kind of personal!"

The Doctor quickly sat down in front of her on the floor, at first attempting to sit in lotus position but eventually quit and sprawled out his long legs across the rug. "Come now, Miss Laney. You just punched a madman and then offered him tea. I would like to believe our relationship has gone past that awkward 'get-to-know-your-favorite-color' phase and gone directly into the fun stuff." He ruffled her short hair affectionately. "Now- tell me the rest! I do love a good story."

"Fine! Fine," she grumbled. "But this doesn't go anywhere!"

The Doctor put on his best mock-serious face and put his hand on his breast. "May both my hearts stop beating if I bring Miss Laney's secret outside of this dormitory. " He then nodded, grinning as gleefully as a child who had caught a bug.

Laney sighed, twirling her hair in her fingers.

"I've never had anyone like me. I mean, like me like me," she confessed. She bit her lip, staring at her knees. "I've never had a real boyfriend. So...yeah." Pushing her bangs out of her eyes, she blushed again. "So no judgement when I tell you the next part, okay?"

The Doctor then did something Laney had never seen a man do except in movies. He leaned over, taking her chin between his thumb and forefinger, and lifted it up gently. Gone was the mockery, gone was the glee. In its place was a surprising tenderness. She nearly gasped aloud. His eyes...impossibly old. But kind. Resting his hand on her cheek, he looked back into her eyes. "Miss Laney, I would never dream of it."

She swallowed hard. "Okay," she whispered. "Okay."

* * *

"We walked for a long time. I finally wheedled out the soldier's name- Nathaniel Jayroe.

'Like the man who built back Jerusalem's walls in the Bible," he said. Then he smiled at me. He seemed to like smiling at me and looking at me. It's okay. I liked looking at him too. He had a nice face with high cheekbones, a strong jaw line and these pretty blue eyes, like looking into the ocean.

I asked what he did in the war. He seemed hesitant at first, I guess he was still worried that I was a spy. But finally he told me, 'I'm a carpenter,' he said. 'I help repair the Confederate ships when they come for supplies.'

I'll admit, I got a little over excited. 'I am too!' I said. Well, I had to correct myself because he was looking at me funny again. 'I mean, I'm a carpenter for the stage. You know, theatre and plays and stuff.'

He shook his head and laughed. 'It's no offense to you, miss, but you get stranger and stranger the more I know you. I've never met a lady carpenter before.'

I just laughed right back and shook my head. 'Well then, not much has changed in 150 years.'

This remark startled him. Much like you, Doctor. I imagine my face must have looked a lot like his did. But he was sweet. And much like you, he was pretty sure that I was completely insane. But to his credit..he just kept smiling at me.

'You sure are a strange bird," he said. 'I like you. I don't understand half of what you say, but I like you.'

I didn't know what to say. I've never been very good with boys, so when they do stuff like that I just freeze up and I did just the same here... but luckily, he didn't expect me to talk.

'What's your name, ma'am?'

I couldn't remember. Could you believe it? I couldn't remember my name. There he was, looking at me with these big swimming-pool blue eyes and I couldn't even remember my name. I sat there for almost two minutes concentrating and trying so hard just to remember the first thing I ever learned in preschool: my name! Finally, I was able to spit it out.

'Laney. Laney Connerly.'

The corner of his eyes crinkled when he smiled. He kept smiling at me! He stopped, and just like in a book he took his arm from me, backed up, and did this little bow.

'It sure is nice to meet you, ah... Missus Conerly?'

I must have turned beet red. 'No,no, no sir...no, there is no Mr. Connerly. There's just me.'

He offered me his arm again and we kept walking through the woods. He was so polite, Doctor. He would help me over logs and everything. Now, I'm not saying that I needed the help, but still...it was sweet.

As we walked, he finally seemed to relax. I guess he kind of felt like me. This new world we shared was so strange and alien to both of us, why not just go along with it?

We stopped for a quick rest by a little creek, an offshoot of the Mississippi. I asked him if he needed to get back to camp. He just shot me another smile.

'No ma'am. Not yet.'

He sat next to me on this little log in the shade. He seemed nervous. I was being my usual awkward self. For a couple minutes, all you could hear was the birds chirping.

He spoke first, fidgeting with the strings on his boots. 'Miss Connerly, I apologize for bein' outta line with you today. ' He stopped. 'A man and a decent lady like yourself out on her own... why, people will talk.'

I just stayed silent. I didn't really know what to say. I didn't mean to make him feel awkward. I had kind of just been there.

He continued on, stammering. Even nervous, he was still really cute.

'All I'm askin', Miss Connerly, is why were you out on your own like that? Ain't you got no daddy or brother keepin' up with you? No mama?'

I just shook my head. 'No. My parents died when I was real little. I never had any siblings.'

'Oh,' he said. He got really quiet, as if he felt bad for asking. He looked so pitiful! Shaking a little out of nervousness, I put my hand on his arm. Screw inappropriate.

'It's okay. I'm used to it, really. I just kinda take care of myself.'

He took my hand and held it between his own. He wasn't lying- his hands were definitely carpenter rough. And big. Now I have big hands for a girl, but his swallowed mine as if they were nothing at all. And he smiled at me. It seemed so uncharacteristic of him. This big old fella, acting sheepish and shy because of me.

"Miss Connerly, may I have your permission for something?" he asked me.

I just nodded, once again at a loss for words. Stupid brain.

'Do you mind if I...do you mind if I see you again?' He turned red, like me. ' You know, just check up on you every once in a while when I'm not fightin' or workin'. A good lady like yourself shouldn't have to be by herself all the time.'

Finally, it was my turn to smile. 'Yeah,' I told him. 'I'd like that.'

He looked like he wanted to say something else and opened his mouth as if to say it, but all of a sudden, I woke up."

* * *

When Laney finished her story, it was like coming back out of the dream itself. She withdrew again into herself, holding her knees. She shook her head slowly, sheepishly giving a glance at the Doctor. "I told you it was silly and personal."

The Doctor didn't reply, just got up and stretched, jogging a little in place. Sharply, he grabbed Laney's hand and pulled her to her feet, before dragging her to the door. However, before he opened it, he gave her hand a squeeze, and flashed her a kind grin. "Personal? Yes. Silly? Maybe. But never pointless, my dear miss."

And as they opened the door and walked down the hall, the Doctor held her hand the entire time. When they reached the supply closet, he lifted her chin with his fingers again. "Miss Laney, I believe Nathaniel was right about one thing in particular."

Laney was befuddled. "What's that?" she inquired.

As the Doctor opened the supply closet to see the TARDIS in front of him, he looked back at his new companion. "That a good lady like yourself should never be alone."


	3. Geronimo!

For Laney, stepping into a dank supply closet filled with dead and not-so-dead cockroaches was not exactly what she first thought of when embarking on an adventure with a strange man who called himself by a noun. But that box...

"How the mess did you get a big, freakin' box in here?" she pondered aloud.

The Doctor didn't reply, just smiled and leaned against it, ignoring the fact he had jsut knocked over a couple of mops.

Laney hesitated, resting her hand on the rough wood, feeling it with her fingers. Her mother would kill her. If she went into a closet with a strange man, she could hear her mother now. _What do you think you're doing, Laney Marie Connerly! You get back in that room right now and you call UPD! _

In her head, she knew that's really what she probably should do. But this box... she kept running across the outside of it, as if to see it was real. The wood... that familiar feeling of the grain, of light splinters where it had been used or damaged, smooth near the door where it had been touched... if Laney trusted anything, it was the things a piece of wood could tell her. The little metal handle was tarnished, used from the touching of hands over a long time. The hinges had seen better days. It seemed so old and used, but...that bright blue box shone like a the day it was built. Old and new. Ancient yet recent. Finally, her hands reached that little tarnished handle, she pushed in the door, and stepped inside.

Awe. Shock, yes, but mostly awe. Laney laughed out loud in surprise, looking back at the Doctor, who had followed her in and closed the door. Almost immediately, she ran up the steps to the main console, looking at all the strange devices. Ever a person for touch, she brushed her hands along the smooth metal console, looking at the cavern around her.

"It's...beautiful!" she cried happily. Excitedly, she hopped down, running up the closest flight of stairs, panting, breathless with glee. "Is this a POOL in here?" Her voice echoed into the console room.

The Doctor chuckled under his breath, tossing his coat in the brown chair by the console. As he adjusted the strange contraptions, he fondly caressed the TARDIS' console board, grinning like a lovesick schoolboy. "Did you hear that, girl? Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful, you sexy thing," he whispered to her. "I like her already. Now, why don't we see why Miss Laney is having psychic connections to the Civil War, shall we?"

As Laney continued to dash around the interior, the Doctor tweaked what looked to be a metal spork attached to a bunch of wires, before winding up a whirligig and pulling the monitor towards him. "Miss Laney!" he called out.

It was almost too much for a girl. She came running out of another mysterious corridor, almost hyperventilating but way too excited to sit still. She hopped up on the platform and plopped down onto the floor near the Doctor's feet, tired but giggling incessantly. "Doctor," she weezed, "This place is huge! I didn't really believe whatever you were saying earlier, but once I saw the inside... This is huge! You live here?"

Tweaking a few more controls and finally, with a surprisingly graceful spin, slamming a button, he offered her a hand up off the floor, raising his eyebrows. "Want to see something even more amazing?"

"Of course I do!" she squealed, grabbing his hand and pulling up, trying to regain her feet. Unfortunately, she was a little stronger than the Doctor had anticipated. There was an awkward moment where he stumbled forward, she made it to her feet, then tried to catch him, but hadn't regained her balance when he tumbled over the ledge of the console, with Laney going down with him. When the proverbial smoke cleared, she found herself almost directly on top of the Doctor, nose to nose.

Cue awkward silence. Seconds passed, both of them stunned, before finally the Doctor gave her a cheeky grin and patted her on the face. "Well, Miss Laney, you could have at least asked me to dinner first."

Laney quickly rolled off of him, her face turning as red at the Doctor's bow-tie. She stuttered profusely, muttering apologies under her breath as she nervously rolled up the sleeves of her sweatshirt. "I'm so sorry, Doctor, I'm just clumsy is all, I didn't mean for it to...I mean... yeah." She stopped, opening her mouth like she had something to say before blushing even deeper and turning away to compose herself. When she had finally lost at least half of the pink from her ears, she turned back to him, tucking an imaginary piece of hair behind her ear. "So, um, what were you going to show me?"

The Doctor was way ahead of her. He hopped quickly back to the control panel, flicking switches and once again giving her that dangerous smile. He wrapped his long fingers around a lever and almost purred, "Hold on, little miss."

Suddenly, it was like standing up during a plane taking off. The ground rumbled and shook as Laney dropped to her knees and grabbed a pole on the control panel, holding on for dear life. The Doctor laughed and Laney held onto the pole for dear life, wondering what she was doing in a strange box in a supply closet that moved.

_Screeeeee. _ _Screeeeeee. Screeeeeeee_

Laney's fingers slipped from the pole and she fell on her face. Still terrified, she gripped with the tips of her fingers to the floor, and just as she thought she was going to die...

_THUMP._


	4. The Mighty Mississippi

THUMP

Suddenly, everything was still again. All was quiet. Laney stood up from her semi-fetal position she had taken on the floor, slowly but surely making sure the ground was stable beneath her. As she struggled to control her racing heartbeat, she looked over at the Doctor, eyes wide. "What was THAT," she panted. "I thought I was going to die!"

The Doctor checked the monitor once again, studying the screen intently, pressing a few buttons before answering her. "That, little miss, was the sound of time travel." Swinging the monitor towards her, it displayed:

_April 20, 1863, _

_32.3206° N, 90.9333° W_

_Vicksburg, MS_

Laney laughed, heading towards the TARDIS door. "Doctor, once again I have to wonder about your sanity. This...this box is amazing. But time travel? That's not possible in the physics world or otherwise." At the door, she hesitated, resting her fingers on the window. What if...

The Doctor simply chuckled and pulled on his jacket, adjusting his bow-tie with care. "Miss Laney, I have seen and done things that have been physically, spiritually, and emotionally impossible in eighty-seven different planets and at least two parallel universes. However..." He walked down to her, placing a hand on her shoulder, and covering her hand on the window with his own. He leaned in close, whispering in her ear, "If you don't believe me, look outside." Gently, he helped her push open the door of the TARDIS, and sunlight came flooding in.

Laney once again found herself doubting her own intelligence, faith, and anything she had ever believed true. As she stepped out into the green grass, she felt the dirt beneath her feet. She recognized the warmth and humidity of her home state, knew the feeling of the rough grass beneath her bare feet. She walked out further, in wonder at it all. She could see a town a few miles away, but no recognizable architecture. The terrain looked familiar- lots of hills, with the forest all around. She closed her eyes. If she listened hard enough to nature's silence, she could just hear it: the sounds of creeks and rivers, overriding the rush of the mighty Mississippi. There were no cars to blot the noise, only nature.

It was like an instinct. She knew where she was, she had been here before\. In the years after, in her days, this was Vicksburg National Military Park. The hill she was standing on, she had gotten lost up here when her grandparents had taken her for a picnic here so long ago. Her grandfather, Papaw she called him, had always loved studying the Civil War and said that it was only natural that there be some bullets still left around in the woods. How could little Laney resist? She had wandered off into the woods, wanting to find a bullet shell to make her Papaw happy. After a while, her Granny had noticed she was missing, and panicked. It was no worry, though. They soon found her down at one of the memorials, having gotten completely and utterly lost.

On impulse, Laney let out a war-whoop, laughing. She danced in the grass, twirling and twirling until finally she fell breathless to the ground. She breathed in the air and closed her eyes, listening to the sound of nature's silence- creeks and birds.

The Doctor hung back at the door of the TARDIS, leaning on the door frame, simply watching Laney. In his mind's eye, he remembered a flash of blonde hair. A smile. So much of the same youth, so much the same energy and vivacity... he pushed it to the back of his mind, continuing his earlier worry. How did Laney end up here...what made her so special that she could reach him across time and space? A mind that strong is a formidable thing, to possess a mental link across the universe is to possess an immense amount of power. He walked out to her, plopping down beside her on the grass.

Laney opened her eyes, hearing him come lay beside her. She turned her head towards him. It was strange. With his eyes closed, he seemed so different. Old and tired. Earlier, she hadn't gotten him to sit still or be quiet. But, before she could get a closer look, he stirred. She averted her eyes quickly, blushing. "So we really are in Civil War Vicksburg?" she asked. It seemed less of a question and more of a surrender.

The Doctor's eyes remained closed as he answered, "Yes. April 20, 1863." Suddenly, his eyes snapped open and he sat up quickly. He looked back down at her, scanning her from head to foot. "Miss, this isn't..." He waved his hands vaguely over her, looking for words. "This isn't going to work."

Laney shot up like a bullet, worried. "What isn't going to work?"

Vaguely, he gestured to all of her again, worried. "This...You're naked."

Laney plucked at the worn out Delta Green sweats she had donned. "This?" Suddenly self-conscious, she looked down at her dirty, bare feet. "I was just on rounds, I didn't know..." She bit her lip. She did look rather ragged, didn't she? Well, she hadn't really expected to travel in time tonight. Laney stood up and dusted herself off in a huff, glaring back down at the Doctor. "And I'm not naked! I'm fully covered."

The Doctor laughed and shook his head, jumping to his feet with the energy of a child. He picked an imaginary piece of lint from Laney's shirt, and gave it a little dusting. "No, nowadays you're naked. A good Southern belle like you needs a gown!"

He circled her, staring at her hips, chest, and legs, muttering to himself all the while. "Probably a 76 waist...91 bust, 158 centimeters tall..."

Laney felt quite uncomfortable. Not exactly sure what to do, she crossed her arms across her chest, blushing. "You havin' fun?"

Thinking, he drummed his long fingers against his face, before a light went off in his head. "Silly Doctor, I have exactly the thing!" He sprinted back to the TARDIS, opening the door and darting in. Before he closed, the door, however, he stuck his head back out, grinning from ear to ear. "And yes!" he replied cheerily, "I am!"

* * *

Layers. Dozens and dozens upon dozens of layers of blue cotton and crinoline. Laney tugged at her corset, struggling to breathe as she turned to face the Doctor. Her skirt seemed to move independently from herself as she turned in the mirror. She kept pulling at her sleeves that felt tight on her arms.

"Doctor," she complained, "I can't even move in this dress, let alone breathe. How am I going to trekking across the country if I can't even breathe?"

The Doctor grabbed her hand and gave her a quick, playful spin. Planting an equally lacy parasol in her hand, he took hold of her shoulders, smiling. "But look at yourself! You look like a regular Scarlett O'Hara." He nudged her playfully. "Now all you need is your own plantation."

Laney giggled, twirling the parasol in the mirror. Yes, she did look pretty. But... "But Doctor," she interjected, "This may work for a ball or something, but don't I need to...ya know...be unobtrusive?" She squirmed, fighting for some room for air from her lungs that pressed into her backbone. "Plus," she admitted, "I don't think with my short hair I look very much like the gentry."

The Doctor sighed as though regretful. "Yes, you're right." His eyes crinkled merrily as he smiled, began to chuckle, and finally burst into full-out laughter.

"What?" Laney demanded, self-conscious again.

Wiping an imaginary tear from his eye, he continued to chuckle as he strolled out the door of the wardrobe room, calling back over his shoulder, "That was for hitting me! There are more reasonable options around here somewhere. Have fun getting out!"

Completely confused and a little flustered, Laney just shook her head and started getting undressed.

Struggling, she pulled the dress over her head and unlaced her corset stays. It was sweet relief, feeling oxygen rushing back into her lungs. She flung the cursed thing far away from her as she could, inwardly cursing the Doctor as she pulled off layers upon layers of petticoats. Finally, she was down to a simple white cotton underdress. Still in her bare feet, she roamed around the wardrobe. The only thought she could think of as she surveyed the wardrobe was, _If only my theatre department had access to this place!_

She ran her fingers over the dresses, picking through. Not this one, too 17th century, not this one, too 1960s...until... her hand stopped. It was the dress. THE dress, the one she had worn in her dream. She pulled it off of the hanger, running a hand over the soft blue cotton muslin. It was just as she remembered: long-sleeved, with traces of lace on the sleeves and collar. Instinctively, she pulled it on over her head and fastened the small buttons up the back. Surveying herself in the mirror, she found herself smiling. It fit as though made for her. Forgetting shoes, she ran out the door and down the hallway, bursting into the console room.

* * *

The Doctor had not been idle while Laney was getting dressed. He flicked the spork again and pulled his monitor towards him, watching as the strange symbols flashed by, making sense to no one but himself. He mumbled to himself as he worked, watching as a diagram of Laney's brain appeared onscreen. "Brilliant girl, lovely little miss hidden away at university, why can you reach me..." Looking closer, he noticed a small blip on the screen.

Speaking out loud to the TARDIS, he rubbed his temples as he mumbled, "Love, zoom into that blip and let's take a stick and poke it, shall we?" The brain on the screen disappeared, with only more strange symbols coming up. The Doctor wrinkled his brow. "No information available, what do you mean no information available." He looked up at the console before frowning at it. "You're a magical box that can store entire rooms, but you don't have information on her brain?"

Frustrated, he plopped down into his chair, drumming his fingers. "Think, think... Miss Laney, a human can send me a psychic message about needing help, but does not know she needs help. She can also somehow speak to people from the past but only in her dreams, which may or may not be real... And she can remember every single detail about the encounter including..."

Laney burst into the room, smiling widely and twirling around in her new outfit. The Doctor suddenly stopped in his tracks, amazed by what he saw. "Including exactly what she wore." Jumping down hurriedly from the console deck, he took her firmly by the shoulders, looking straight into her eyes. "Where did you get that dress?" he questioned intensely, eyes wild.

For the umpteenth time that day, Laney was frightened, but to her credit, she didn't hit him again. "In the wardrobe room," she stammered, "It's.." She closed her eyes, afraid. "Doctor, you're hurting me."

As if coming out from a spell, the Doctor released her and laughed. "I'm sorry. You astonished me is all, and I'm not easily astonished. This one time, I was on the planet Raxacoricofallapatorius after a particularly bad case of the platypus influenza had taken hold. You see, the Raxacoricofallapatorians had called me in desperate.."

"Doctor!" Laney interrupted. She raised an eyebrow at him. "You're gonna sit here and talk nonsense while the past is right outside that door?"

The Doctor stopped, stunned. He never did get to finish his stories. Quickly recovering, he adjusted his bow tie and stuck his hands in his pockets, looking down at Laney's bare feet. "Well, I was waiting for a certain little miss to go put her shoes on."

Laney said nothing, only laughed and opened the door to the TARDIS. Who needs shoes when you've got the world to explore?


	5. The Walking Invalid

After a few minutes of walking and exploring, Laney was convinced that she was already disenchanted with being in the 1800s. Mosquitoes buzzed around her ears, and even though she rolled up the sleeves of her dress, sweat continued to pour down the line of her spine. For a while, she remained very quiet as they trekked across the hills.

The Doctor, stubborn as ever, had shed his coat in the TARDIS, but refused to untie his bow tie and open his collar in the Mississippi humidity. Every few minutes, he would look to his silent companion and make a remark about something around him- the trees the hills, the war. But it seemed that Laney's mind was miles away. The Doctor had almost given up, when suddenly Laney stopped as if alarmed.

"Doctor," she stated quietly, as if unsure, "This is it."

The Doctor wiped the sweat off his brow, looking around him at the the scenery. There seemed to be nothing special about the area, just a copse of oak trees sitting beside a little creek. "This is what?" He joked, "Seems to be a pretty normal forest to me, however, I have been wrong about that before."

Laney turned to him excitedly, wildly gesturing as she pointed to the area around her. "This!" She pointed emphatically at the fallen oak log. "This is where Nathaniel took me before I woke up."

She hitched up her skirt and sprinted to the log, immediately investigating the log before looking all around her. A huge smile cracked on her face, immediately followed by a look of utter terror.

"D-Doctor..." She stuttered. "This place was in my dream. I imagined this, the dress, everything. How can it actually be here?"

The Doctor approached her carefully, taking a strange pen-like object out of his pocket and pointing it at her as if scanning her whole body. Soon, he was running around the copse, scanning the trees, the log, before flicking his wrist and scanning the extension. For the first time, he seemed speechless. As if he didn't believe the scans, he scanned Laney once more with the object, getting up close and personal

Laney soon grew tired of his not answering. "Doctor!" She demanded. "How can something that I made up in my head actually be here?" Frustratedly, she pushed the pen-thing away from her face, where the Doctor had been intensely concentrating on scanning, and shook her head in disbelief. "What is that thing anyway? Stop...whatever you're doing."

The Doctor read the scans again and grasped the pen-thing to his chest defensively as a toddler would hold a precious toy. "Whatever I'm doing? You're the one panicking here." He showed her his toy proudly, stating confidently, "It's a sonic screwdriver. Much like an electric drill like you use, but more...sonic."

Laney flopped down onto the log, rubbing her temple once again. Her headache was coming back quickly, and with a vengeance. She looked back up at the Doctor, who seemed oddly dejected. He had put the sonic screwdriver back into his pocket and seemed to be having himself a good pout. Sighing heavily, she tried to give the Doctor a soft smile. "I'm sorry, Doctor," she relented wearily, "This is just all a bit much."

The apology seemed to work for the Doctor. He came over and ruffled her short hair affectionately, which in turn made her smile and protest. Squatting down beside her, he pulled out the sonic screwdriver once more. "One big discovery at a time, yeah?"

Laney smiled back, finally exhaling in relief. "Yeah."

The Doctor's eyes crinkled when he grinned at her, flicking out once again the extension in the screwdriver. "So," he explained, "The sonic screwdriver is just a screwdriver, yeah? Wrong. This screwdriver not only can put in and take out screws, it has a lot mor power than that. This, Miss Laney, is a very special screwdriver than can tell me things I need to know. Things like..." He scanned the forest around them, and wrinkled his forehead as he looked over Laney's shoulder, leaving the sentence hanging. Quickly, he stood up and looked towards where he had pointed the screwdriver.

"Things like what, Doctor..hmm!" Laney asked.

The only reply she got was the placement of a finger over her mouth. While initially considering the sophomoric method of sticking her tongue out, she eventually relented, silencing herself and listening.

The Doctor leaned in to whisper in her ear, "Things like the fact that we are being watched."  
Slowly, he walked towards the area where he had pointed the screwdriver, trying to tread as softly as possible until he approached a rather large, round tree. Moving with surprising speed and strength, he snuck behind the tree and pushed out the spy, what appeared to be a young man.

The young man sprawled on the ground in front of Laney's feet, the revolver in his hand landing behind the log on which she was seated. Instinctively, she reached over and made a grab for the revolver, retrieving it deftly before pulling back the hammer to full-cock position. She aimed it at the stranger, her hands shaking from fright and adrenaline.

"What do you want?" she demanded.

The man was unresponsive. She nudged him with a bare foot. He didn't move. Keeping the revolver pointed at him carefully with her right hand, she rolled the figure over.

Laney shrieked in surprise, nearly dropping the loaded revolver before catching herself. Gently, she placed the pistol onto the ground next to her, reaching to his face to brush away a bit of the curly brown hair she had spent so much time trying to paint perfectly.

"Nathaniel..." she whispered, her heart catching in her throat.

Sharply, she whipped around to face the Doctor, accusing, "What did you do? He's unconscious!"

The Doctor peeked out sheepishly from behind the tree before approaching the prone form. Squatting down next to the boy, he prodded him inquisitively in the jaw before taking hold of his face and moving around before letting go and letting it drop to the ground, muttering all the while.

"He'll be fine, I'm sure, I just pressure pointed him on the neck. Nasty headache when he wakes up, but he had a gun and I don't like those..." The Doctor opened up Nathaniel's eye and pulled put the sonic screwdriver, scanning it before letting it shut again. He turned to Laney, who at this time seemed more than green around the gills. "Miss Laney? Is this...him?"

Laney nodded her head silently, simply staring at Nathaniel's still face on the grass. As if something suddenly clicked in her head, she stood up and knelt down beside him, digging in his pocket until she found what she was looking for: an old, dirty handkerchief. Still silent, she wet the handkerchief in the creek and came back to the log.

Gently, she smoothed the wet handkerchief onto Nathaniel's face, wiping her wet hands in the grass before looking for something soft to put his head upon. Upon finding nothing, she placed his head in her lap, looking down at him as if in wonder at his existence. Her head throbbed once more and she shut her eyes, rubbing them. When she came back to look once more at the Doctor, her eyes began to well with unspilled tears. She always did cry when she was frustrated.

"Doctor," she whispered, gazing with disbelief at the boy in front of her. "Doctor, I'm either going crazy or having the weirdest case of déjà vu ever documented." She looked back at the Doctor, some crystalline tears finally spilling onto her cheeks. "Doctor, he was just a dream, all of this was just a dream and now I'm here and I don't understand..."

The Doctor rushed over to her, kneeling down beside the pair and pulling Laney into his chest. He ignored the pang of a memory when he had done this so many times for others just as confused as Laney. "Shhh, shhhhh... Listen, Miss Laney, and you listen close. You are special. Across all time and space and you cried out to me and I came. It takes a very special person to send such a strong message to me from so far away. Now, I don't know what's going on right now either, but we're going to find out, alright? Shhhh, miss. It's okay."

Laney snuffled one last time in the Doctor's arms before turning away to compose herself once again, wiping her eyes and nose on her own sleeve. It took a few seconds for the panicked tears to dry, but soon she was able to face the Doctor again, red, but dry eyed.

He grinned at her and pushed a few strands of hair back out of her eyes. "There's my tough Irish girl." He looked down at her charge resting in her lap, and enigmatically closed his eyes, resting a hand on Nathaniel's temple. For a few seconds, he was silent, muttering words that were unintelligible to Laney.

Suddenly, as if pulled out of death itself, Nathaniel's eyes snapped open and the Doctor pulled away. For a few seconds, it seemed as if he couldn't focus, before finally settling on the two big, dark orbs hanging above him. Gasping, he rolled out of Laney's lap and onto the grass, scrambling to his feet. He reached instinctively for the revolver on his hip, but soon found it missing. Upon this discovery, he finally took the time to look around in his environment.

The first thing his eyes settled upon was Laney. Embarrassed, his chest still heaving from his rude awakening, he bowed awkwardly, as if he didn't know what else to do. "Miss Connerly."

Laney smiled and stood on her feet, giving an even more awkward little curtsy. "Hello Nathaniel. Fancy seein' you here again."

Nathaniel seemed more and more confused by the minute, approaching Laney as if unsure she really existed. "Yes ma'am, this is my patrol ground," he said slowly, holding his head where it must have ached horribly. He seemed nervous and confused, fidgeting a bit. Finally, he spat it out. "I'm sorry, Miss Connerly. Yesterday when we spoke you musta fainted. I carried you back to town and everythin'. I didn't know what to do, so I took you to the hospital where a buncha my officers panicked and wouldn't let me see you. I figured you musta been really sick. How are you here again so soon?"

Laney was dumbfounded. However, before she could say anything, the Doctor barged happily into the conversation. "I'm sorry, Nathaniel, is it? You say she fainted and you carried her back, but you then weren't allowed to check on her?"

Nathaniel nodded, glancing at Laney, then the Doctor, then back at Laney, then back at the Doctor. "Yessir," he answered warily. "I'm sorry, but who are you?"

The Doctor straightened his bow tie proudly before walking forward and doing an awkward attempt at a greeting by kissing the air by Nathaniel's cheeks. "Apologies!" He replied cheerily. "I'm the fellow who gave you that splitting headache."

Nathaniel glanced at them both again, before gesturing between them. "And you are her..."

The Doctor chuckled merrily and shook his head, nudging Laney in the elbow."Oh no, I'm afraid not. John Smith's the name, but you may call me the Doctor, everyone does."

Nathaniel scratched his head, still trying to shake off the fact that the Doctor has just kissed him. "So you're her doctor?"

The Doctor grinned. "I guess you could say that." He then walked over to where Laney had left the revolver lying on the ground and picked it up with two fingers as if it were a dirty diaper before handing it back cautiously to Nathaniel. "Now," he smiled mischievously before reverting to a completely serious, dangerous facade, getting within inches of Nathaniel's face. "What's a soldier doing patrols out this far?"

Nathaniel visibly gulped before turning his eyes away and answering, "I'm a scout, sir. They've been sending me to see if the Yankees have gotten to us yet."

"At ease, soldier," the Doctor commanded lazily. He seemed to be enjoying this little show of power. "I'm not here to get you in trouble. However, Miss Connerly and I are going to need to be heading back to the hospital, I had merely taken her out for some fresh air in hopes of it helping her health. Would you also put me in touch with the officer who wouldn't allow you to see her? As her physician I need to have communication with these fellows, you know."

Nathaniel glanced back at Laney nervously before nodding tersely to the Doctor. "Yessir." He holstered his pistol and bowed stiffly once again. "If y'all will follow me, I'll take you and the lady back to town. I apologize for the sneakin' around earlier, sir."

The Doctor waved him off casually, before winking at Laney. " Oh, and one last thing, Nathaniel. Miss Connerly here is quite fatigued, I'm afraid I have quite worn her out. It is my fault, but would you be a good chap and have the lady on your arm?"

Laney gaped at the Doctor, blushing up to her ear tips a bright, crimson red. To her horror, Nathaniel extended his arm as a reply. Glaring at the Doctor, who simply cheekily waved back , she took Nathaniel's arm.

The walk back to town was quiet. The Doctor remained a ways off behind the two, who remained as awkwardly silent as possible. Laney didn't mind. Even if this entire experience was all just another dream, she figured she would sit back and enjoy the company of a madman and a Civil War soldier.

As the trio approached the town of Vicksburg, little did Laney know how soon this peace would end.


	6. Flight to the Forest

When they entered the town, it felt like every eye was on Laney and her odd chaperones. _Well,_ she surmised, _I guess it isn't often you see a common soldier showing a lady out of the woods. _She snorted derisively. _As if I'm anything like a lady._

The Doctor seemed enchanted. Everywhere he looked, he kept exclaiming to Laney and Nathaniel excitedly. His eye caught the riverboats towering in the distance, easily spotted by their tall, red steam pipes. "Look!" he pointed out enthusiastically. "Steam engines, Laney! Ah, I love a good steam engine." Enjoying the sound of the steam whistle, he stopped and smiled as if listening to a fine piece of classical music.

He jogged behind them and peeked his head over her shoulder. "Did I ever tell you of the time that I went to a planet where the inhabitants only spoke in whistles? They all sounded like little tea kettles, whistling about." He gave a short demonstration, much to the amusement of Laney and the confusion of Nathaniel.

Laney giggled. She couldn't help it! "You sound like R2-D2," she joked.

In response, he whistled again, trying to sound like the famous android, but failing miserably. He winced at the failed attempt. "I guess that wasn't the droid you were looking for."

She couldn't help it. Laney let out a burst of laughter that, after a sharp glance from all around her, she soon hushed by clapping a hand over her mouth.

Nathaniel looked at his companion, clearly baffled by his strange company. "Miss Connerly, once again, you and your doctor say the strangest things. I don't even have a single idea of what anything you say could possibly mean."

The Doctor came alongside the young soldier, nudging him lightly to get his attention. "Don't worry yourself too much, boy, it's been quite the long day and I'm quite sure Miss Laney is getting a rather large case of the, er…" he searched his mind for the proper term, muttering to himself. "The steam, the faints, the finagles, the vultures…the, er…. vapors! Why yes, poor Miss Laney here has had quite the journey." He heartily clapped Nathaniel on his free shoulder. "Frailty, thy name is woman! Vapors… and such."

Laney mouthed at him from behind Nathaniel's head, "_The vapors? Does anyone actually believe that?"_

The Doctor nodded and smiled, nervously straightening his bow tie.

Finally, they came upon a large, beautiful white structure. It had giant white columns, with the Grecian style architecture that was brought back into being in the antebellum south. There was a gable on top of the rectangular building, reaching into an open-air dome. The Doctor whistled in admiration, taking in the sight of the beautiful old building. "Glad this one makes it," he muttered.

Nathaniel took Laney's hand and helped her up the hill to the structure, making sure her bare feet didn't slip on the incline. He nodded his head towards the building. "This is the court-house. Right now, it's the base for all our gen'rals and such. " Subconsciously, he pushed his long, dark hair out of his eyes and stiffened his back before offering his arm to Laney again. He seemed nervous. "Miss Connerly? Would you please take my arm?"

Laney grasped on to him again, her heart suddenly beating quickly. What if she and the Doctor were thought to be phonies? What if they were found out?

The Doctor seemed to be having the same ideas as he buttoned his coat and tried to tidy up a bit. He kept glancing at Laney's bare, muddy feet exasperatedly. _"Why couldn't you have put on shoes?" _he mouthed to her.

Two armed soldiers stood at the entrance to the courthouse, looking only slightly less ragged than Nathaniel.

_At least they're wearing shoes_, the Doctor grumbled inwardly.

Nathaniel left Laney and the Doctor at the base of the steps and approached the two soldiers, stopping at the door with a smart salute. "Cor'pral Nathaniel Jayroe of the 6th Mississippi Infantry, requestin' to speak with Brigadier General Stephen D. Lee."

One of the soldiers, a young skinny Irishman, laughed out loud at Nathaniel's request. "What woulda corp'ral like you have to do with the Brigadier Gen'ral?"

The other guard, a tough looking older gentleman, nudged the skinny soldier. "Mebbe he's scared the Yankees away with his raggedy long hair. They thought he was a scarecrow come to life, so they just ran on back to ole Abe Lincoln!"

They both thought this remark was hilarious, and guffawed loudly at poor Nathaniel. To his credit, he remained firm in his goal. "Lissen, I ain't got time for sittin' around an' chewin' cud. I got a Miss Laney Connerly and a fella called the Doctor here, and they need to see Gen'ral Lee. Miss Connerly is from a very influential family in Jackson, she says she got information for the Gen'ral."

The older guard spat a wad of tobacco leaves on the ground, giving the young lad a good look over before looking farther at the odd pair behind him.

Laney tried to look as refined as possible, hiding her dirty feet under her long skirts and standing up straight, putting on her best haughty expression.

Unable to contain himself, the Doctor smiled and waved before heading up the stairs to greet the two guards. "Hullo! I'm the Doctor," he introduced himself as he kissed them both. Clapping his hands together, he exclaimed "Ahah! I see we have ourselves some real Debbie doubters here. Miss Laney, may I request your company for a quick second?"

Laney inwardly groaned. The Doctor was about as subtle as swimming in the baptismal. Regally, still wearing her best 'I'm-a-posh-Southern-belle' face, she descended up the stairs and gave a quick curtsy to the two soldiers. _Think Scarlett O'Hara_, she reminded herself, putting on a winning smile. She extended a hand to the younger soldier, who instead of kissing it (like she had expected), let it hang in the air like an unfinished sentence. Flustered, she retracted her hand and regained her composure.

"Gentlemen," she drawled, "I am brought to understand that you do not believe the word of my two men here. Is that correct?"

The older soldier shuffled his feet. "Well, ma'am, it's just mighty strange that a corporal would…"

Laney laughed, a light airy laugh that surprised even herself. _The theatre major thing definitely helped_, she thought. _Hoorah for the liberal arts!_

"My dear man, this young soldier has been so kind to escort me here from Jackson, which as you may know is currently under attack. He has fought many a Union scoundrel in order to keep me safe and to bring me here to deliver a most urgent message to General Stephen D. Lee. Now, I have survived bullets going through my…" she searched for the word as they looked on expectantly. _Horse? They obviously didn't have cars. Would I have a carriage? I guess so. Why not? I'm rich! _

"Carriage. All these terrible bullets going through my carriage and the roar of battle happening in my ears. Why, it is enough to make a lady tremble."

For effect, she fluttered her hand to her chest and closed her eyes as if holding back tears. It wasn't so hard to fake a tremble- the adrenaline was now rushing through her veins from this little performance. She reached shakily for the Doctor. "My dear Doctor, I am quite faint."

The Doctor rushed to her side and held her firmly by her shoulders before looking pointedly at the two guards. "Gentlemen, for shame! Has the lady not been through enough traumas? Please fetch the General at once and let us enter before Miss Connerly has a terrible case of the vapors!"

The two guards saluted and guiltily hurried inside. As Laney dramatically fanned herself with Nathaniel's handkerchief, the guards soon led them to a small parlor and bowed again, taking off their hats and bowing to apologize.

"We're real sorry, Miss Connerly," the young guard stated nervously, "We didn't know, we swear!"

The older guard nodded as well, his cap over his heart. "That's right, lady. We jus' didn't know is all."

Laney dismissed them with a wave of her hand. "Thank you, gentleman, please fetch the general post-haste."

And with another apologetic bow, they were both gone.

The Doctor looked carefully around the corner, checking to see if the coast was clear, before returning back to Laney, draped across the chaise lounge. "You were brilliant!" he exclaimed excitedly. "Where did you learn to act like that?"

Laney tried to steady her quaking nerves, breathing in and out, before offering a shaky smile to the two men. "I just went for it. You know, all Scarlett O'Hara style." She then turned to Nathaniel, who seemed downcast. "What's wrong, Nathaniel?"

Nathaniel scuffed his shoes on the floor awkwardly, twisting his gray cap in his hands. "I don't like to lie. I dunno what came over me, but I jist knew that you weren't gonna get to see who you needed to if you had to go through the chain'a'command. " He smiled sheepishly at her before directing his gaze to the carpet again. "Plus, nothin' to remind a fella of how low his rank is like having two guards sass you."

The Doctor clapped him on the back heartily, surprising Nathaniel and nearly knocking him over. He smiled at the boy and ruffled his long hair playfully. "Rank isn't everything, soldier, it's the heart that matters. And you have the heart of a colonel, at the very least."

Suddenly, they heard footsteps coming down the hall and resumed the positions they had been in earlier. Nathaniel straightened up even more, suddenly aware of the raggedness of his uniform. Laney slumped 'vapor-ously' over the chaise, and the Doctor, well… the Doctor peeked around the corner. Loud voices soon echoed into the parlor, angry and rough.

"What do you mean, Miss Connerly is in the lounge? Miss Connerly has been where I put her! There isn't any possible way she could be just walkin' around…"

A stern looking fellow with a bushy brown beard and short hair came marching around the corner, stopping immediately when he saw Laney on the couch. Immediately, he turned to the two guards that soon trailed him into the room.

"WHAT is the meanin' of this?"

The older guard gulped audibly, his hands turning white as he gripped his musket nervously. "They said they was here to see you with information…"

The stern fellow hushed him almost immediately. "I have at least twenty thousand Yankee troops headed this way, and you want me to entertain a woman who merely claims she has information?" He shook his head as if disgusted. "Get yourself out of my sight."

The two guards saluted quickly and scurried out of the parlor.

The man soon scanned the parlor, noting its' inhabitants before stopping at Nathaniel. "Corporal!"

Nathaniel stood at attention immediately, saluting. "Yes, sir!"

"At ease," the man growled. He came face to face with Nathaniel, looking into his eyes. "Do you know who I am, corporal?"

It was as if a person had turned him into a robot. "Brigadier General Stephen Lee, sir!" Nathaniel barked.

Lee narrowed his eyes at the young soldier. "Then you know that I am a busy, busy man. Please excuse yourself so that I may speak to the lady. Alone."

Nathaniel glanced over at Laney and hesitated, his eyes lingering on her worried face.

Lee barked at him. "Soldier! That's an order."

Nathaniel saluted once more before beating a hasty retreat. At the door, he paused, looking at Laney and opening his mouth as if to ask something.

"Soldier! Out!"

Nathaniel bit the inside of his cheek and did as he was told.

Laney found herself shaking again. Here in the presence of this veritable bulldog, she could not regain her composure like she had before. She reached out for the Doctor, who had been watching the whole ordeal by the parlor entrance. If in response, he came over to the lounge, sat beside her, and took her hand. A few moments of silence passed before the Doctor spoke.

"General Lee, is it? Well, I can see that you didn't get that promotion based on the way you treat your inferiors."

Lee sneered at the Doctor, rebutting, "You seem to be doing a great deal of assumptions here, Doctor. I guess it's easy to be holier-than-thou when you and your people left our people to starve and die, despite years of you prosperin' on our southern-grown cotton."

The Doctor gritted his teeth and stood to his feet, coming nose to nose with the general. "So, you think I'm English too, eh? My people may have fought a great war, but at least it wasn't against our own kind. Now, I have some questions for you and I expect them to be answered, General," he spat.

Lee seemed taken aback. It was apparent that it had been quite a good bit of time that anyone had given him orders. But, when he recovered, his face turned red in anger and he could barely contain his words below a roar. "I'll answer your questions, Doctor, when you tell me why you have what belongs to me sitting on that chair over there."

Now it was the Doctor's turn to be shocked. For the first time since their adventure began, Laney saw him speechless. His mouth opened and closed again before he finally found his words. "Excuse me? I believe that Miss Connerly does not 'belong' to anyone, let alone you. "

"I'd like to differ, Yank. You know, I'm starting to wonder what a Brit like you is walking around with my property. You a spy?"

The Doctor snorted and crosses his arms. "I wouldn't tell you if I were, would I? "

Lee glowered up at the tall alien. "Well then," he growled dangerously, "I'll just have to take that as a confession."

Before the Doctor even had time to flee, he found a revolver trained at the right of his two hearts, pulled from the coat of General Lee. Lee smirked. "Not so tough now, eh, spy?"

Laney jumped to her feet with a cry and made as if to stop the general, but the Doctor grabbed onto her arm in time. He grabbed onto her shoulders pulled her close into a hug, whispering into her ear. "Laney, shh, it's okay. Listen to me, Laney. I'm going to go with the general."

Laney looked up at him wide-eyed with fright and grasped onto his coat collar. "You can't, Doctor, they'll hang you for sure," she whispered back.

The Doctor gave her that smile again; the one filled with adventure, and pulled her close once more. "I want to see what's going on, but you need to go. I don't know what he wants with you. Nathaniel is outside, when I say go, you run to him. Stay with him, Miss Laney, he'll take care of you. Trust me," he grinned. "I'm the Doctor."

The Doctor let her go, raised his hands, and took a step towards the general. "Look, now, I'm going with you. " He kept walking towards Lee, slowly, each step measured. "Now you can put that gun down."

Lee laughed derisively. "Not a chance, spy."

The Doctor smirked and reached slowly inside his coat pocket, grasping until he found what he wanted. "Well, if you won't put it down willingly…" He pulled out the sonic screwdriver and pointed it at the revolver in Lee's hands, causing it to spark. The General dropped the gun with a yell of surprise, as the Doctor turned to Laney.

"Laney, run!"

"I won't leave you to hang," she cried, reaching out for him again.

Exasperated, the Doctor pushed her towards the door or the courthouse. "Just go!"

Laney, seeing the situation was useless, sprinted towards the door. Guards rushed by her on their way to the parlor, but she wiggled through them and ran past, running and running until she reached Nathaniel on the street.

Nathaniel had heard the yells and screams inside the courthouse, and caught Laney by the shoulders as she ran by. "Miss Connerly!"

Laney fought back the tears of panic in her eyes as she choked out the story. "Nathaniel... they have…they have…they have the Doctor, they think he's a spy, General Lee said I belonged to him and the Doctor told me to…. told me to…. told me to run!"

Nathaniel took her by the hand, and without question began to run from the scene, back to the woods from whence they had come. Laney tripped over stones and rocks in the streets, tears blurring her eyes as she cursed the Doctor, cursed the general, and most of all cursed herself for getting into this situation.

On they ran, past the stores, past the shocked onlookers, beyond the eyes of the general. They ran into the hills once more, collapsing by the stream, totally spent.


	7. Welcome to the Army

Nathaniel gasped for air, putting his head between his knees, struggling for breath. He pushed his sweat-soaked hair out of his face and opened his collar, trying to let the slightest bit of a breeze.

Laney pushed up her sleeves once more, fussing about with her many skirts before giving up. The hem was muddied and torn, bits torn off from where she had stepped on it. Her knees were bruised and beaten and she was sporting a bleeding lip, another consequence of having tripped on her skirts. Her head was aching terribly again, pounding a familiar stressful drumbeat inside her skull.

For a while, it was quiet, with both of them trying to catch their breath. Finally, Nathaniel spoke up, his voice demanding.

"What are you?"

Laney looked over at him from by the stream. "What do you mean?"

Nathaniel looked her straight in the eye. "You know what I mean. I ain't educated like you, Miss Connerly, but I ain't stupid neither. Your story ain't addin' up. Your Doctor ain't a doctor, the gen'ral thinks he's a spy. You appear outta nowhere on two occasions, even though you passed out on me. You speak in riddles and nothin' you say makes sense!"

He sighed wearily, rubbing his eyes as if he too had a headache. He stood and walked over to where she was sitting on the log. Sitting at her feet, he reclined against the berth of the wood to where he was looking up at her. "The thing is, Miss Connerly, unless I can hide you someways, I could get shot for treason or desertion. So you might as well be honest with me. "

Laney itched to reach down and touch his hair or face. There he was again, looking at her with those big swimming-pool eyes… she sighed. Eventually she was going to have to tell him anyway. _Here goes._

"I'm from the year 2013."

Nathaniel's face clouded over in disappointment. "Stop lyin'. I told you that I ain't stupid."

Laney gestured exasperatedly, pushing her sweaty hair out of her face. " I ain't lyin'! I'm being completely serious. I'm from the future."

Nathaniel still looked like he had his doubts. "Then how did you get here?"

Laney looked off in the direction of the creek, listening to the water trickling over the rocks. She thought a while before she answered. "I'm not even sure. At one minute, I'm sitting in my chair in my dorm room, and the next the Doctor comes along from nowhere. He tells me that he can help me figure out my dream and he took me into what he calls the TARDIS. " Frustrated, she blew her bangs out of her eyes and continued, " Next thing I know, I'm here."

"And the Doctor?"

Laney shook her head. "I know even less about him. His TARDIS is…beautiful and fantastic and impossible all at once. He claims he's been all over he world and the universe, even. He looks human, but I don't even know about that, really."

Nathaniel mussed up his hair again. From what Laney could see, it was a nervous habit he had. He spoke slowly, as if processing. "So you're sayin' you ran off with a man you didn't even know?"

Laney shrugged. "There was just…somethin' about him. He had this smile. I knew I could trust him somehow. Anyways," she smiled shyly, "I did the same with you."

Nathaniel crossed his arms, relaxing against the log. It was silent for a little while, as Nathaniel would alternately gaze up at Laney as if trying to figure her out and then watch the water of the stream for a while, thinking deeply. Inexplicably, he blushed and put his head down, pulling his gray cap down over his face as he hid the pink on his cheeks. "If I ain't pryin' too much, Miss Connerly…what dream are you talkin' 'bout?"

Laney also blushed a deep crimson. She stiffened up and looked away from him, fidgeting with the torn hem of her skirt. "Um, it's nothin' really."

Smiling mischievously, Nathaniel met Laney's eyes again, giving her a cheeky grin. "Remember, miss, you could get me shot."

Laney huffed, still fighting back the pink in her cheeks. "You're just as bad as the Doctor. Wantin' to know everythin'. Well I ain't gonna tell you…"

For the first time, being awfully daring himself, Nathaniel reached up and touched Laney's hand.

It was as if she'd been shocked. Her breath caught in her lungs and somewhere in her chest came this…pain. But, it was a good pain, a pleasurable pain. The hair rose on the back of her neck and even though she was covered in sweat, a chill like electricity ran down her spine. Her face flushed even deeper as she looked down at the young soldier. _What was that, _she thought.

And there he was again_. Those stupid big blue eyes, _she grumbled. _Let him think he's won, stupid big, pretty, swimming pool eyes. Oh look, I can see myself in them. I mean, he's got a nice face and everything, but if he thinks he can win me over just by… _her mind froze again. Next thing she knew, she was talking.

"Do you remember when you found me? When we first met?"

Nathaniel nodded.

Laney chewed her lip. _He already thinks I'm crazy. _ "That was my dream."

Nathaniel raised his eyebrows, incredulous. "You mean, you were asleep and you dreamed that?"

Laney nodded. "Yeah. It was weird, because you said I passed out in your world, right? Well, that's when I woke up in my world. "

Nathaniel knotted his brow, extremely confused. "Wait. So…you Laney was asleep in the future while my Laney was here with me in 1863? But you're wearin' the same dress! You look the same! You remember," he blushed, "everythin', like you were actually there." He seemed panicked as he began to doubt himself. "But you were there, I saw you, I touched you…"

Laney took his hand, trying to ignore that same jolt of electricity that came upon her so suddenly before. "I know, I know," she whispered as she tried to soothe his nerves. "It felt real to me, too. I don't know what's goin' on. But we need the Doctor."

The realization of the Doctor's imprisonment came down upon her like a tidal wave. She let go of Nathaniel and held her face in her hands, trying to fight off another wave of panicky tears. "Oh, Doctor… he's stuck in jail and it's all my fault and now they think he's a spy…"

Quietly, Nathaniel moved up to sit on the log next to Laney. "Miss Connerly, it'll all be fine. The Doctor seems like a smart man, he'll know what to do."

As Laney struggled with her conscience, her mind ran wild. _Where is the Doctor now, _she wondered. _Why did they take him?_

The Doctor spat out a mouthful of orange-red blood, still smiling dangerously as he glared at his attacker. "Oh, come on, big old fellow like you and you couldn't hit the broad side of an antedeluvian barn. You couldn't hit a dinosaur corral! What, having a hard time beating up a skinny old boy like me?"

He didn't struggle, merely offered taunts and held his head up confidently. His wrists were chained to the wall behind him, and they had stripped him of all the clothes he had besides his trousers.

The soldier in question merely smirked in response before sinking a blow into the Doctor's stomach.

The Doctor cried out in surprise and pain, doubling over as much as he could. His breath was ragged and shallow. _ I think that fractured a rib or two_, he thought groggily in the aftermath. _I can't take much more of this if I want to be of any good to Miss Laney and Nathaniel. _He grinned weakly, spitting out another mouthful of blood. _ Time for a pretend surrender. I need to get past the worker bees and get to the center of the hive to really see what's going on. Bees…I never did figure out what was up with the bees still disappearing, did I?_

The Doctor cried out again, slumping against his chains. "Stop! Stop!"

The soldier walked over to him and lifted up his head by his hair, pulling his neck back painfully. The soldier spat in his face and laughed. "You ready to talk, spy?" He let go of the hair, letting the Doctor's head flop forward once more.

The Doctor muttered something, inaudible to the guard. The soldier punched him once more in the cheek, slamming the Doctor into the wall. Roughly, he grabbed the Doctor's head and forced it to meet his gaze. "I said, are you ready to talk? Speak up!"

The Doctor grinned, a bruise quickly blossoming on one of his prominent cheekbones. A trickle of blood flowed from his lips and stained his teeth red as he smiled at the soldier and began to chuckle. "My apologies. What I was saying was that while it may take me a few days to heal…"

Swiftly and forcefully, he head-butted the soldier, who crumpled to the ground. Carefully, the Doctor used his toes to fish the key ring from the guard's pocket. Nervously, he tossed the keys like a hacky-sack up to his mouth, catching them, much to his relief. The next part was a little trickier. Carefully, he slung the keys over his shoulder, where..._Yes..._ they hit the wall and slid into his waiting hands.

It was a matter of seconds until the Doctor freed himself from his bonds. Stretching, he rubbed his wrists where the shackles had cut into the skin. He looked down at the guard and tutted disapprovingly. "It may only take me a few days to heal, but you're going to have that headache for quite some time. "

The Doctor wiped his mouth and inspected the blood on his fingers. Wiping them nonchalantly on the soldier's uniform, he looked around the room until he found what he wanted. Walking over to a chair in the corner, he picked up his clothes, his hand stopping on a blue silk bow tie. Grinning, he picked up the bow tie and examined it fondly for damages. "I don't care what anyone else says," he stated imperiously. "Bow ties _are _cool.

"Are you sure this is going to work?"

Laney looked back at Nathaniel, brushing off the dust on a pair of his old trousers. After waiting and worrying in the copse for a little while longer, Laney had come up with a brilliant idea. They had snuck back into town through the back alleys and ended up in an old barn. Laney hid among the tools and plows while Nathaniel went back to camp to swiftly gather a few of his possessions and meet her back at the barn.

"I'm sure it'll work!" she reassured him. "In my history class in high school, my teacher once told us that several women in the Civil War often disguised themselves as men in order to stay and fight alongside their husbands."

Nathaniel rested a hand on her shoulder, taking the trousers from her and turning her around. "Miss Connerly…"

Laney rolled her eyes. "Nathaniel, I think we may have gotten past the get-to-know-you phase and gone directly into the fun stuff." She smiled at the fond memory. Was it really only this morning? She chuckled quietly and took the trousers back with a playful yank. "My name is Laney. Call me Laney. "

Nathaniel, clearly exasperated, took the trousers back again, before tossing them onto the worktable behind them. "Miss…. Laney. I don't think you understand. We're on the brink'o'battle in just a few days. A big battle. War ain't a game, Laney. "

Laney clenched her jaw stubbornly. "I ain't weak. I can handle it."

Gently, he grabbed her by the shoulders and sat her down onto a stool. "I know you ain't, but…." He struggled for words. Finally, he settled on one knee in front of her to get on her eye level, holding her rough workman's hands in his own.

"Last battle I was in was for New Orleans. Laney, I watched my best friends die all aroun' me and I couldn't do nothin' about it except keep blindly firin' and hope I hit somebody. There was smoke in the air and I couldn't breathe, I couldn't see, all I could hear was screamin' and shoutin' as I heard my countrymen die. The only way I escaped that one alive was through luck. Straight up luck an' God on my side."

A determined glint in his eye, he brushed a stray piece of hair out of her face. "That's why I can't have you do that. I can't watch you die knowin' you was in my care, Laney. We'll find some other way."

Laney brushed his hand angrily from her face, equally as determined. "There ain't no other way! I can get in where the Doctor might be if I'm dressed as a man, dressed as a soldier. I can't do that as a woman. Not with your generals lookin' all over for me. Plus," she swallowed hard. "I ain't gonna watch you die under my watch either."

Nathaniel stood up, watching Laney's jaw clench and unclench as she crossed her arms stubbornly. Finally, after a few moments of silence, he sighed. "You ain't gonna do anythin' else to save him, are you?"

Laney shook her head.

Nathaniel sighed and walked to the door of the barn, resting his hand on the door. "Then get dressed. I'll keep watch, then you're gonna go enlist. You gotta go get your uniform."

As he closed the barn door, he tipped his hat to her. "Welcome to the Confederate Army, Mr. O'Connell."


	8. The Birth of Johnny Reb

"Yer too pretty."

Laney raised an eyebrow.

Nathaniel laughed before continuing on. "I mean, yer too…clean."

This had been the constant battle to turn a modern lady into an eighteenth century male. Apparently being a man has its own set of trials unbeknownst to women such as Laney. So far, they had what Laney deemed a fitting outfit for a new Confederate recruit: a pair of worn out old khaki trousers rolled up to the ankle, suspenders, a tucked in strategically loose white shirt, a well worn out brown vest, and to top off the look of homespun masculinity, a much-loved straw hat.

Laney checked herself over. She felt dirty, she knew she looked dirty because of all the running and tripping and assorted adventures, and shoot, with an experimental sniff she knew she even smelled dirty. "How am I in any way too clean?"

Nathaniel gestured to his own face. "You know. I mean, lookit me. I been working in a field or in a wood shop all my life, I look like it. You look like, well," he gestured towards her, "a lady in boy's clothes." Thinking intensely, he gnawed on a hangnail while tapping his foot, clearly agitated.

Laney sighed heavily and took off the hat, throwing it to the ground in a huff and ruffling her short hair. "Well then I don't know what to do."

Nathaniel froze, staring a Laney like he saw a revelation. "Keep doin' that."

"Keep doin' what?" Laney huffed.

Nathaniel scanned the old barn until he found what he wanted- an old iron stove, covered in rust and soot. He nearly sprinted there before opening the wood hatch and reaching inside.

"What are you doin'?" Laney asked curiously, wandering over and staring warily at the stove.

Nathaniel pulled his hand out of the stove, smiling like a Cheshire cat. His hand was black with the ashes caked inside the old stove. "I'm makin' you look like me." He turned to her and opened his hand. "Let me see yer face."

Finally, Laney caught on. "Oh!"

She closed her eyes as Nathaniel smeared the dark powder over her nose and cheeks, rubbing it in until her face no longer looked so shiny and clean. He stepped back for a second to admire his handiwork before taking some of the red dust on the ground and adding that the mix of dirt and grime he had in his hands.

"Now, take some o' this and rub it on yer neck, 'round the collar. Like you been sweatin' and ain't washed that shirt."

Laney did as he said, wincing at the feeling of dust falling down her shirt and settling there, mingling amidst the sweat. If anything, she already felt like a boy, if boys always felt this gross. Wiping her hands on her pants, she grabbed her hat and settled it back over her hair. "All right. Now what, oh Yoda?"

"Yo-what?"

"Never mind."

Nathaniel looked over her again, nibbling on his nails again. He waved a hand over her features, still frustrated. "The way you're standin'. "

"What's wrong with the way I'm standin'?"

Nathaniel imitated the way Laney held herself, cocking a hip comically and standing arms akimbo. He smiled when she rolled her eyes at him, knowing he had won, before explaining, "It's too…lady-like. You gon' be a soldier, you gotta stand like one." He leaned on a worktable, crossing his arms. "Show me how you think a man stands."

Quite confidently, Laney puffed out her chest and hooked her thumbs into her suspenders. Imitating what she had seen in the old westerns, she sucked in some phlegm and attempted to spit casually into the hay. Or at least that's what would have happened had her ball of phlegm not misfired and landed on Nathaniel's face.

Laney turned a bright red under her powdering of soot and immediately broke character. "Oh my goodness, I'm sorry, that was probably really disgusting…"

Nathaniel wiped his face with his shirt, laughing. "Miss Laney, it ain't nothin'. That wasn't half bad. "

Laney blushed and laughed along until suddenly, she stopped laughing. Her face began to turn slowly white as the gravity of the situation began to wear on her determination. She swallowed hard and adjusted her suspenders nervously, looking at the ground. "We should go. Wars to fight."

Nathaniel's laughter faded as he saw the color in Laney's face begin to drain. He remembered his first battle and how afraid he had been. Quietly, he walked over to Laney and put his hand on her shoulder. "Laney, this ain't your war. You don't hafta fight, you don't hafta go. And if you say the word, I'll think o' somethin' else to get the Doctor back so you don't hafta go with me when the Yankees get here. "

Laney's hands began to tremble and she swallowed hard. _The Confederates lost the Battle of Vicksburg_, she remembered. _But I can't let him know that. I messed up too much history being here. I can't change it. I don't know why, but I don't think I should._

She looked up at him and forced a smile. "I'm goin'." She hooked her fingers into her suspenders again and winked. "And I'm gonna be just fine. "

Nathaniel still looked like he had his doubts, but he smiled and nodded. "Alright."

As Laney walked towards the Confederate campground, she tried to control the terrible trembling in her hands. She felt the adrenaline rush through her veins and felt the throbbing in her head begin again.

Nathaniel was next to her, reviewing everything she would need to know for her fake identity. "Yer name is Lane O'Connell. Yer a carpenter from Jackson that ran to join the army after you seen what Sherman did. Yer eighteen years old. "

Laney interrupted him. "Wait, I'm twenty…"

Nathaniel nodded his head. "Yeah, but 'cause you bein' a lady and all they're gonna wonder why you have such a young-lookin' face. So yer eighteen. "

Laney nodded tersely in nervous agreement. "Right."

Nathaniel continued, nervously dusting off his uniform and straightening his worn-out grey cap. "I'm gonna pull rank and request you fer my squad. I may be jist a corporal, but I lead the carpentry team so they won't ask questions. Yer gonna be in the 6th Mississippi Infantry. Got it?"

Laney nodded, her heart beating as fast as a rabbit's.

They approached the tents, Laney remembering to stand tall and straight, with little hip movement as possible. However much she tried, she could not get her hands to stop trembling.

Nathaniel bid her to stand still and wait as he went to go speak to a group of three bored-looking men sitting on crates outside one of the tents. Laney couldn't tell what they were saying, but soon Nathaniel had them laughing, holding their sides. _He must be pretty well liked with these men_, she thought. _I wonder if these are the people he said he fought with or if everyone he meets just immediately likes him. _

They were still laughing whenever Nathaniel called her over, which Laney took as a positive sign that Nathaniel had worked his magic. She was surprised when Nathaniel threw his arm roughly around her shoulders and pulled her close to his side like an old buddy, gesturing to the men with the other hand.

He waved towards a slightly portly man with a thick brown mustache, drinking what appeared to be coffee out of a tin cup. "O'Connell, this is Sergeant Douglas Bates, of the 6th Infantry, my regiment. We fought together in New Orleans and transferred to the same regiment. " The man nodded and smiled, raising his cup as if to acknowledge her presence.

He went on to another man, stocky, muscular of fellow with a dark brown face and long hair. "This is Lieutenant Jonah Tucker, also of the 6th. He was the leader of one of the boat repair crews here in Vicksburg before we were put to the field. " The man smiled at Laney, his eyes crinkling in his leathery face.

Before she could shake either of her new companions' hands, Nathaniel swung her around to meet the most imposing figure of the group. A large man that had to be at least six foot four stood up to meet them, extending a hand that was easily the size of Laney's head. He was a monster of a man, his muscles finding some way to show through the thick cotton of his uniform. His hair was neatly styled and parted to one side, and his goatee was trimmed and clean of debris.

He offered her his hand, and she took it nervously, trying to give as firm a handshake as she could with her own hand being engulfed. She was then fully aware that her hands couldn't stop shaking even if God himself asked them to sit still.

Surprisingly, the man smiled at Laney, and Laney let out the breath she had been holding.

"I'm Colonel Robert Lowry," he began, "but that is no use to you as of yet. Tell me, boy, can you wield a hammer?"

Laney nodded, which seemed to please the giant.

"Now tell me this," he deep voice boomed, "Can you also fire a gun?"

Laney froze. _I've fired guns in my time, _she reasoned. _But those are automatics and semi-automatic rifles. Anything they use here is going to be even more difficult to handle than that old muzzleloader my dad keeps for the firing range! _

She decided not to lie. "No sir."

The man sighed and ran his fingers over his goatee, considering the options. He looked over at Nathaniel, then back to Laney, and then to Nathaniel again. Finally, as if a light had turn on, he clapped his hands together. "Alright. Corporal Jayroe here tells me that you want to join the army, and that I can count on you to be a good soldier. " He looked warily at Laney. "Can you be a good soldier, boy, and do as you're told?"

Laney nodded. On an impulse, she snapped her heels together and offered a smart salute, her finger touching the rim of her cap like she had seen the ROTC boys do at football games. "Yes, sir!" she barked in her deepest, manliest voice.

This seemed to please him and he laughed, a loud, booming laugh that rang through the air. He wiped an imaginary tear of mirth from his eye and chuckled, "At ease, soldier. I like you. You can stay."

Laney's heart leapt into her throat and she fought off the urge to hug the colonel. Instead, she returned her arm to her side and nodded her thanks.

The colonel looked over to Nathaniel and gestured to Laney. "Corporal, from this time on you are not to leave this boy's side. Teach him everything he needs to know for immediate combat. How to fire, how to use a bayonet, and a sword." He glanced over to Laney once more. "You know how to use a sword, boy?"

_Only ever in stage combat classes_, she thought, but she nodded anyway. "Yes, sir."

"Good," the colonel affirmed. "As far as pay you get a uniform, rations, and in theory, eleven dollars a months to do with as you will. Once battle hits, that can't be promised until after everything cools off. If you're still alive, you might get paid. Is that understood, private?"

Laney gulped and nodded. "Yes, sir."

The colonel smiled and looked back at Nathaniel, giving him a swift pat on the shoulder before returning to his seat. "You did good, son. Now go and take care of Private…what did you say your name was, boy?"

Laney hesitated slightly before blurting out, "O'Connell. Lane O'Connell."

The giant's eyes crinkled in amusement. "Irish, eh? You'll do, boy, you'll do. Go rustle yourself up some rations and a uniform. "

Laney gave a slight bow of appreciation before returning quickly to Nathaniel's side, and off they went to join the rest of camp.

The colonel seemed almost sad as he watched the pair walk away, Laney quietly and excitedly chattering to Nathaniel about how well everything seemed to be going. "Poor kid," he muttered. "He'll probably be dead in a week."

Nathaniel made his way back to his own tent, a simple little thing made out of nothing but canvas and a pole. On the inside he had tried to make himself comfortable, but the only thing that made it seem unique was the worn out quilt that was rolled neatly by his knapsack.

"Union issue," he bragged as he opened the knapsack and began to pull out supplies for dinner.

Laney looked around the small tent, chuckling a bit.

Nathaniel looked at her, worried. "What's wrong?"

Laney laughed, gesturing around the tent. "Well. We didn't think this through very well."

Nathaniel looked at her and then looked around the tent, confused. "What's gone wrong?"

Laney grinned amusedly. _He just doesn't get it. _ "Your…I mean, _our_ colonel said you were to stay by my side at all times. " She opened her arms wide and looked around. "You just got yourself a new tent mate, good buddy."

Nathaniel's eyes widened as he finally realized his traditional chivalry faux-pas. He began to blush and stammer. "I-I-I d-did not m-m-m-mean for that to happen, that was not the plan, I-I-I just forgot.." His crimson face soon matched the sunset appearing outside.

Laney chuckled at poor Nathaniel's befuddlement. She waved him off and moved over to one side of the tent, smoothing out the dust underneath her. "You take one side and I take the other. That way we both can be decent, okay?" She rested her head on her arms and stretched out in the dust. "Besides," she yawned. "After today I don't think I can handle anything more…"

Nathaniel opened his mouth to argue, but by the time he could think of anything to say, Laney was already fast asleep.

Nathaniel wrung his hands and looked out of the tent, watching a nearby fire flicker in the faces of the soldiers that lit it. Whenever he was worried, he couldn't sleep, and dear Christ Jesus if he wasn't worried now.

_I have to make her the best she can be, _Nathaniel vowed. _She has to survive. _

As he crawled to lie down beside her (as far away as he could), he watched her dark silhouette rise and fall with her breath. Alternating between, curses and prayer, he pleaded to the Lord that he could keep her safe.

The next day, Laney found herself sweating even more in the oppressive thick fabric of a Confederate soldier's combat gray. Nathaniel had done some digging around and found an old rucksack that he fashioned into a satchel that carried everything she owned in this century- a five pound bag of cornmeal, a metal cup and a spoon, some salted pork, and some matches. He also had found an older metal canteen that she had hanging on her shoulder. Her new personal blanket, given to her by a kindly older lady in Vicksburg, remained at the tent.

Her favorite aspect of her gear, however, was her Enfield rifle, used and worn but smooth to the touch. Nathaniel had immediately begun her shooting lessons out in the hills, readying her for the Union attack. She crafted herself a makeshift pocket in her jacket to hold the paper cartridges used to load and fire the muzzle-loading rifles and soon began to feel more than comfortable firing the gun.

It became a gentle rhythm: the opening and pouring of the gunpowder, the dropping of the cone-shaped bullet into the barrel, tamping down both with the ramrod, placing the percussion cap over the nipple and then finally pulling back the hammer and shooting the target. Rinse and repeat.

Nathaniel trained her hard until the day's end, when they first began to see the sky turn a deep shade of pink. Laney was coated in sweat, and she fought the urge to ring out her grey woolen cap. Her clothes were sticking to her back as she stabbed the air with her bayonet once, twice, over again. Nathaniel had her running drills on bayonet, sometimes sparring, but usually watching and offering comments.

Nathaniel surprised her when it came to training. The boy who has been so gentle and so cautious with her when dressed as a lady pushed her to her limits until she could barely stand, her chest heaving as she fought for air.

They trained with the bayonet all afternoon, and after what seemed to be a lifetime, Nathaniel quickly disarmed her and as she went scrambling for it, stood on the stock of the rifle. His face, which had been so serious during her entire training period, suddenly softened. A smiled cracked his face and he offered her a hand, which she gladly took.

As they walked back to the camp, Nathaniel seemed hopeful about the days ahead. "I didn't believe you when you said you was tough, but I gotta believe it now."

Laney laughed and made a face at him. "Now you believe me? Like you didn't test the livin' daylights outta me. What happened to the whole 'ladies are delicate' thing you had goin' on earlier?"

Nathaniel seemed not to hear her. He stared out into the distance at the peak of the hill. Laney tried to catch his attention, but to no avail. "Nathaniel? What's wrong, Nathaniel!"

His eyes clouded over and a look of utter fear crossed his face. He reached for Laney's hand and took it in his own, squeezing hard.

Laney followed his gaze to the sunset, where she caught something that had not been there before- a line of lazy smoke, coming from miles away in the distance. The thought raced to Laney's mind, but before she could say anything, Nathaniel spoke the thought like a death sentence.

"Yankees. "


End file.
